The Forgotten Typographic Art of Price Tags

Next to cash register receipts, common price tags are arguably the most taken for granted pieces of graphic design. Many today are rendered by computer, so why bother showering them with respect. Some are, of course, handwritten without the flair of a true letterer. And most are stock designs that come from a few different business stationery outlets that sell various merchant necessities.

But price tags aren’t as boring as one might think. They certainly are not trivial pieces of the marketing puzzle, so some have typographic flair. In fact, from the turn of the century and through the Great Depression, price tags used to alert customers to an exceptional bargain were often well-designed. These small graphic design throw-a-ways, saved from oblivion, are more examples of the role of eye-catching typography in the commercial world.

Additional Resource
For more on typography and design, pick up an e-book copy of Mastering Type: The Essential Guide to Typography for Print and Web Design.

About Steven Heller

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes a weekly column for The Atlantic online and is the "Visuals" Columnist for the New York Times Book Review. He is also the author of over 160 books on design and visual culture. And he is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.